2017 NCAA Tournament: Sunday Elite Eight Predictions
How are your 2017 NCAA Tournament brackets looking with six teams left? Did Villanova bust you? How about Duke? Maybe Arizona did you in? Don’t worry, we still have the round by round tournament going!
More from College Basketball Odds
- Updated College Baseball World Series odds (Wake Forest remains favorite to win in Omaha)
- Updated National Championship odds following Hunter Dickinson transfer to Kansas
- Best March Madness prop bets for FAU vs. San Diego State in NCAA Tournament Final Four
- Final Four Most Outstanding Player odds, prediction (Which long shots are worth a bet?)
- Bettor places massive wager on Creighton vs. San Diego State in Elite 8
That still doesn’t mean that the round by round tournament isn’t interesting. I know there is a good chance that my brackets can go up in smoke at any minute since every team this year is flawed.
So far, I have 41 points in the round by round, if you include the First Four. I’m in the high middle of the pack, but with each game only being worth one point, it’s a lot more difficult to make up ground this way. Such is the advantage of picking by the round, I guess.
Let’s check out the East and South regional finals, and who has a chance to advance to the Final Four!
(4)Florida vs. (7)South Carolina
Florida beat Wisconsin in the game of the tournament so far! Wisconsin hit a game-tying running three to tie the game in regulation as time expired. Florida returned the favor in spades, hitting a running three as time expired in overtime. The difference was that the Gators were only down two!
South Carolina just took Baylor behind the woodshed. Frank Martin remembered some of the Bears’ tendencies from his days in the Big 12(10). The Gamecocks frustrated Baylor on the inside and didn’t give them any easy shots. They played the kind of defense that defined them in wins this year.
Well, the Gators and Gamecocks are very familiar with each other. They split the season series with each team winning at home. Florida’s win was by 15 points last month. The Gamecocks only won by four, but that was very early in the conference season.
Now their series moves to Madison Square Garden, for the whole world to see. Based on the past history this year, Florida has the decided advantage. However, they do not have Sindarius Thornwell. He has been a difference maker for this entire tournament. He also has 43 points in the two games against Florida this year.
It will be up to the rest of Thornwell’s supporting cast to take this team to the Final Four. The Gamecocks really look like the team of destiny here, but Florida has proven that they are a very good team.
Pick: South Carolina
(1)North Carolina vs. (2)Kentucky:
Andrew Chrabascz did everything he could to keep his team in the tournament, but Joel Barry proved that his ankle wasn’t an issue by dropping 27 points on Butler. Justin Jackson had yet another big game in the NCAA Tournament, putting up 24. The Tarheels coasted to another Elite Eight, but have to get past another of college basketball’s elite in Kentucky.
Kentucky used their elite athleticism to pull away from UCLA. Even when the Bruins were staying in the game, they never once looked in control. Kentucky’s defense adapted more quickly than UCLA’s did. The Bruins never had an answer for De’Aaron Fox. Fox’s career high 39 points sunk the Bruins, and ended hopes of their first Final Four since 1995.
This is elite of the Elite Eight. North Carolina and Kentucky. While they are mostly just mascots for older AAU kids until they can enter the draft, it sure makes for some entertaining basketball! The Tarheels will have an answer for Fox. At some point, Malik Monk will still have to come through for Kentucky. This has been a very quiet tournament for him.
Both teams are probably going to get out and run in this one. This just has the feeling of a game that should be later in the tournament than this. An argument could be made for either of these teams being the best in the country right now. In both of my brackets, I had a team from the South winning the title. I still think that holds true, but I like the experience of North Carolina a little better.
Pick: North Carolina
Next: How Did I Do? Check Out My Picks From Before The Madness!
Stay tuned for the Final Four picks! We also have our daily NBA and NHL picks for you DFS players! Our David Gate also shares his EPL wisdom for those of you who just can’t get enough of DFS sports!